(John Vincent), born at Naples, was son of Count Pinelli, a noble Genoese, who had settled in that city, and had acquired a handsome fortune in the way of trade. After receiving a liberal education he quitted the place of his nativity, and repaired to Padua, where he took up his residence at the age of 24. Being a great lover of science, he gave a preference to that city on account of its famous university, which brought to it a number of learned men. He had an excellent library, which consisted of a choice collection of books and manuscripts, and which he continued to enrich till the hour of his death. His literary correspondence, not only in Italy, but through the most of Europe, procured him all the new works which were worthy of a place in his collection. The authors themselves were often forward to pay their respects to him. In many cities of Italy he had persons employed to search, at least once a month, the stalls of those artificers who make use of old parchments, such as lute-makers, fivemakers, and others; and by this means he had the good fortune often to save from destruction some valuable fragments. His passion for knowledge embraced all the sciences; but history, medals, antiquities, natural history, and particularly botany, were his favourite studies. He was consulted from all quarters, and the extent of his acquaintance with the learned world was very great. He corresponded with Justice Liphius, Joseph Scaliger, Sigonius, Poitvin, Peter Pithou, and a great many others, who have all paid the highest compliments to his erudition. Insensible to all the pleasures of life, and acquainted only with those of the mind, he had a great dislike to plays, entertainments, shows, and every thing which might excite the curiosity of other men. During the space of 43 years that he lived at Padua, he was never known to be out of the city but twice; once on occasion of a plague which infected it; and afterwards on a voyage to Naples, which he made at the earnest solicitation of his friends. In short, Pinelli was generous, sympathizing, and compassionate, particularly to men of letters, whose wants he often anticipated. His zeal for the progress and advancement of science rendered him very communicative of his knowledge and of his books; but this was always done with judgment and discretion. He died in 1601, aged 68, without having published any work. Paul Gualdo, who has written Pinelli's life, does not specify the number of volumes of which his rich library consisted: he only informs us, that when it was transported by sea to Naples, it was packed up in 130 chests, of which 14 contained manuscripts; but it did not go wholly to his heirs. The senate of Venice caused their feet to be set upon the manuscripts, and took away whatever concerned the affairs of the republic, to the number of 200 pieces.—"I compare (says President de Thou) Pinelli to Titus Pomponius; for, as that illustrious Roman was called Atticus, Pinelli also bore the title of Venetian, on account of the great affection which the republic of Venice had for him.

PINE'1 (Antony du), lord of Noroy, lived in the 16th century, and was a native of Béfancôon. He was strongly attached to the Protestant religion, and a bitter enemy to the church of Rome. His book, intitled La Conformité des Églises Reformées de France, and de l'Église primitive, printed at Lyons, 1564, in 8vo; and the notes which he added to the French translation of the Fees of the Pope's Chancery, which was printed at Lyons, in 8vo, 1564, and reprinted at Amsterdam in 1700, in 12mo, plainly discover his sentiments. He published the last mentioned performance under this title: Taxe des parties cauelles de la boutique du Pape, in Latin and French, with some notes taken from decrees, councils, and canons, in order to ascertain the discipline anciently observed in the church. In the epistle dedicatory, he assumes the tone of a declared enemy to the court of Rome. He apologizes for having presented this book "to a society so holy as yours (the Protestants), in which are heard only hymns, psalms, and praises, to the Lord our God; but it is proper to show to the villain his villany, and the fool his folly, lest one should be thought to resemble them." We see by this specimen, that Pinet had no more politeness in his style than in his manners. His translation of Pliny's Natural History, printed at Lyons, in 2 vol. folio, 1566, and at Paris, 1608, was formerly much read. Though there are a good many errors in it, it is yet very useful at present, especially for those who understand Pliny's Latin, on account of the translator's researches, and a great number of marginal notes. Pinet also published Plans of the principal fortresses in the world at Lyons, 1564, in folio.